Albert Pujols Signed Baseball?
We are not Albert Pujols experts, but we are pretty sure he rarely, if ever, signs baseballs in gold. Check out the COA in this auction, it looks pretty impressive -- with matching holograms. They also use the MLB logo and a few other trademarks on the COA.
This ball is supposed to be from a limited edition of only 5 signed.
We can't tell if this signature is real or not, but just a note -- anyone can get matching holograms these days. Holograms cost around 19 cents a set and can be serial numbered to say whatever you want. Remember, holograms are only valuable when they come from a reputable company. The auction doesn't mention who issued the holograms.
161 Comments:
that's a mighty impressive looking coa, however, the roddick tennis ball offered by the seller has the same styled coa, which leads me to believe he makes them himself. how about the manning/ dungy signed balls?
it seems like as soon as we get rid of a seller, one pops right up. it's a never ending cycle
Guys, I am a Pujols COLLECTOR - as if you didn't know by now. When I saw the Title in my search, I must admit I got a little excited, until I saw the gold sig - in Sharpie marker. No reputable company would have an athlete sign a baseball with a Sharpie - especially one as "rare" as this one. The endorsements on the COA will open him up to trademark issues...but as is the trend of major sports businesses, they will probably ignore it. All it takes is a trip to Quick Opinion to have it removed. There are two more Pujols baseballs out the right now from another seller. One is a Mounted Memories ball and the other is a 2001 Topps Reserve
ball. The seller said that there was no serial number on the Topps hologram...which means it is from a card (some sigs and bat pieces have number-less stickers to authenticate them) I have a couple Topps baseballs from 2001 and both are serial numbered.
The Mounted Memories ball is curiously missing a COA...it was "misplaced". The picture of the hologram is blurry, but I can still see that it has been tampered with. It was probably pulled from a lesser player's ball and added to the "Pujols" ball. I will post the item numbers in a second. You are right,J-Man - they are like cockroaches in a Chinese Restaraunt...they keep on coming back.
Here are the item numbers:
300076143998
300076149222
I sent the Topps ball to PSA - if they reject it, it will not be there tomorrow.
Hey, Bigtruck, I printed the pages of that Albert Pujols Topps baseball and faxed them to Topps in New York.....Chris W
so when i woke up this morning, i decided i need an alex rodriguez autograph in my collection. i've tried to get one for the past 2 years but it always fails. the first result that came up oon ebay was this interesting item 230085583311. it's signed by arod and jeter. it comes with a COA AND the seller claims it is "100% authentic" if you look at the sellers other items "way2united" you can see they deal mainly with items signed by 2 star athletes. look how many dan marino and peyton manning's they have, as well as muhommed ali. there is no doubt that everything in his inventory is fake. i played dumb and asked him a question about the arod/ jeter item. i'll post when i get a response.
Your Request for Item "Albert Pujols "signed" baseball. Seller says that the
hologram has no number on it - I have several ", Ebay Item No. "300076143998",
opinion was rendered at "2/1/2007 6:31:12 AM" and the result was:
Response: "Likely Not Genuine"
Here are the details of your Request:
Comments:
Request ID: 40092
Request By: 02/02/2007
LIKE THERE WAS ANY DOUBT. Thanks Chris.
The seller of that forged 2001 Topps Albert Pujols baseball is seller "727robertt." That fake autograph item was removed by Ebay, but again the question is "Why didn't Ebay remove that seller's other forged items including another fake Pujols autographed baseball?" Ebay does that all the time. "Quick Opinion" proved that seller "dqbean252" is selling forged autograph items but they only remove the one David Wright and allow that seller's other fake David Wright autograph items to run to duration. That is why Ebay is 50% of the problem, they allow it to continue even after we prove that a particular seller is selling all forgeries....Chris W.
Here's another seller that is selling a few Derek Jeter forgeries: "Maddox280524" They have a forged Derek Jeter autographed bat, photo and batting helmet. Here are more Derek Jeter fakes I found on Ebay today so far: 160080793325, 250079988592, 320076512843, 270084991730....Chris W.
I WOULDNT WORRY ABOUT THE MOUNTED MEMORIES PUJOLS BALL.REALLY ALL THAT MATTERS IS THE HOLOGRAM WHICH CANNOT BE REMOVED UNLESS YOU WORK AT C.S.I. MIAMI.ITS PRETTY EASY TO LOSE A LITTLE COA CARD.IVE BOUGHT INTO SIGNING WITH MOUNTED MEMORIES BEFORE AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY WOULDNT EVEN ISSUE COAS FOR MY PIECES ONLY THE HOLOGRAM
jeter_sucks"
Another major seller of forged autograph items is seller "mattrhodes.com" That is his actual seller ID on Ebay. He was one of the first I caught back in 2005 and obviously Ebay has allowed him back on. Shame on Ebay. I caught this guy today because I noticed a forged Albert Pujols baseball he is selling....Chris W.
ALSO YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A SELLER BY WHAT ELSE HE IS SELLING.LOOKS LIKE FOR HE ACTUALLY IS SELLING OFF HIS COLLECTION.LOOKS LIKE HE HAS A GOOD MIX OF SUPERSTARS WITH GOOD LOOKING SIG,S HOWEVER HIS JOE MONTANA NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL LOOKS LIKE AMITEUR NIGHT
I know this is pretty off topic but I've been reading people's comments on here over the last week or two and it seems that a lot of the posters here really know their stuff. Well, Im looking at starting my own collection but am a little hesitant to buy anything off of ebay. I've been watching a few things on Ebay from a seller named Sportslot. He also has a website at http://www.sportslot.com/servlet/StoreFront. I was wandering what some of your opinions were of this seller. Most his stuff is PSA/DNA authenticated and have a hologram with a number on it that you can check on psadna.com. If an item is authenticated by PSA/DNA, how good of a guarantee is that? Im really looking for some advice before I buy something. I'd hate to waste my money on something fake. Thanks to everyone in advance.
i think ebay needs a task force. people who actually investigate complaints. also, when an item gets taken down, they need to investigate what else the seller has. it's like if somebody gets arrested for dealing crack, if ebay were the police, they would take the crack, let them walk, and not search their house or car. if somebody gets an auction taken down because PSA says it's "likely not genuine" that should raise a red flag to ebay that says "this seller has 5 more pujols balls, 10 jeters and 50 peyton mannings, this should be checked out" but nope, ebay doesn't care as they get their listing fees and their final value fees.
chris that was a great find with "Maddox280524"... you know a seller just doesn't care when they have 3 jeter signed items where all 3 signatures look different. the one on the picture is probably the funniest i have seen (up there with the pjuice" ball. also, check out the COA Maddox280524 has for the jeter helmet.. they actually spelled JETER wrong on it, and crossed it out and rewrote it. why not just use another piece of paper? i swear some of these people get an idea to make some extra money. they do NO RESEARCH WHATSOEVER and make themselves look like fools to people who know what theyre talking about. this is completely rediculous.
You hit it right on the nose, J-Man. Ebay only cares about their fees and commissions. They'll remove the "Likely Not Genuine" auction but they refuse to remove the other 50 auctions that contain all forged autograph items. Ebay may have been inncent following "Operation Bullpen," but in the court of sincere collectors they are "Guilty.".......Chris W.
The Mounted Memories ball is a fake...there is a bad photo of the hologram - probably damaged or not genuine at all. ESM was part of the same signing (there was only one with AP) ESM is selling thier stock on eBay, and you can judge the differences in the autographs yourself. Get back to me JS.
You know better.
I just wanted to comment for the collector who was looking at seller "sportslot." From what I see their autograph items are quite authentic. He shows the PSA/DNA sticker and he gives a close up of the item in their photos.....Chris W.
I see that seller "2004senod2004" just put up over 100 auctions that contain all fake autographs....Chris W.
after looking at the mounted albert ball it does look a little funny.hologram looks a little out of place.im not a expert with this guy but the "a"just looks a little funny for me,too funny to be getting paid for.i would like to know where he got the ball from.i think its pretty clear hes selling off some items from his collection he bought eslewhere
he could of bought it from ELITE SPORTS
that would not shock me at all
jeter_sucks"
..meaning that Elite would pawn off forged goods? I know that there are questions about their game used Jeter items..have they had problems with autographs too?
And also, I agree that his is getting rid of his collection. However, if you sell something that is fake (I told him and forwarded the PSA opinion) you are still in the wrong. I feel bad for people who have been ripped off, but chalk it up to inexperience and keep it as a reminder of the dishonest people in the world.
Hey J-man - what did you do with your Fansindastands stuff? Just curious.
What makes you suspect the auctions from 2004senod2004? The signatures look authentic. I am interestd in the Vince Young mini helmet. Are you sure they are fake? Please tell me why you think so, then I can make a deciosion. Thanks Bob
Hey Rob - I came across "senod" earlier in the year when I was looking for a Jim Edmonds mini helmet for a friend. He has Scott Rolen and Edmonds items that are VERY suspect. They look nothing like the signaures I have recieved in-person or from reputable companies...he sells at least 2 Edmonds and Rolen items every week, and the logistics of that are impossible unless there is a private signing that he is involved in - NOT. Try a PSA quick opinion and see what happens.
bigtruck, to answer you about what i have done with my fansindastands merchandise...
the jeter "signed" ball i bought is expected to be a big hit at the family picnic this summer for the baseball game. i figure using it would be a good use for it.
the barry bonds "signed" helmet is stashed away. i guess it could maybe one day be potential evidence? i don't know. but i have no use for it. maybe some cousins could wear it playing baseball to protect their heads from a derek jeter signed ball. what an all-star picnic it will be!
bob, please look at senod's items again. partucularly this chase utley signed helmet 300077223339. in case you didn't know, utley's number is 26. that looks like a 16. the utley ball looks like it has 21 written on it. i have an in person utley ball that the 26 strongly resembles a 26. also look at senod's arod ball. alex rodriguez's signature looks somewhat like that, but not quite like that one. just looking at those 3 items i can say he sells fakes. sorry.
For the commenter who asked why we thought Ebay Seller "2004senod2004" was selling fake autograph items. First, I have submitted a few of his autograph items to "Quick Opinion" and they have all failed. Secondly, he sells the same fake autograph items every time he submits his 100 or so auctions. Third, the autographs that I am familiar with, that he sells, are not close to the actual autographs of the athletes. His Alex Rodriguez is an obvious forgery. If you look close enough at his autograph items they are extremely shaky. And finally, why don't you ask him how he is able to acquire (in person as he states in his auctions) the same autograph helmets of Brian Urlacher, Carlos Beltran, Alex Rodriguez, David Wright, David Ortiz, etc., week after week. He even has a fake David Letterman autographed baseball up for bid. Ask him, go ahead. If you think that Vince Young autographed helmet is real then by all means bid on it. And you'll be joining the millions of other collectors who own forgeries of their favorite athlete.....Chris W.
If an item on ebay comes with a PSA/DNA certification and shows pictures of the sticker with a certification # on the item and a matching 3x5 Certification card, is that reliable enough to make a pucrchase? An example of what Im talking about is ebay auction item #180078281688. Thanks for you opinions.
you have nothing to worry about on that psa ball
caposauctions is a very class act.he is in the top 10 of high volume memorabilia sellers one ebay
all of his items are either psa,tristar or upper deck.
he even goes the extra step on a guy like montana with 3 triple authenticty.
however hes good but in the future dont allways think a psa or gai sticker means its real.those arent tamper proof and a 5 yearold could remove one a restick it on a fake
here is an interesting barry bonds find..180081224115. i think they scribbled the signature onto the card. here is another 160081137234. i don't believe i have ever seen barry's signature look like that. what's everyone else think?
i also found a seller with a very suspicious steve carlton ball, and a michael jordan baseball that looks like a mess. he also has ted williams, mickey mantle, and hank aaron. quite a HOFer collection, huh? his ID is "bestpawnmn"
j-man if you have a question about any barry bonds signature email the auction to
isitreal@barrybonds.com
thats his marketing firm and there very pro active on ebay.if its not real it will get kicked off
jeter_sucks"
J-MAN I SENT OVER THAT SECOND BONDS TO THE MARKETING FIRM
160081137234
THE FIRST ONE LOOKED KINDA NICE.IT LOOKS A LITTLE MORE LEGIT THEN THE OTHER SIGNED CARDS BECAUSE ITS ON A NICE GAMEUSED CARD.IF I WAS GOING TO ATTEND A FUCNTION WHERE BONDS WOULD BE AT I WOULD PROBALY PICK MY BEST BONDS CARD TO HAVE SIGNED.ONLY PROBLEM IS SELLER DOESNT MAKE ANY CLAIM OF WHERE IT CAME FROM.IF YOU WERE JUST A COLLECTOR WOULDNT YOU FEEL KINDA PROUD TO ACCOUNE THBAT YOU MET BARRY AND HE SIGNED A CARD FOR YOU
I DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK ABOUT THAT CARD
JETER_SUCKS"
Hey guys check out Ebay Item Number 160081205878. It is a fake team-signed football of the Chicago Bears from our friend seller "ans_autographs." This item, of course, failed "Quick Opinion" as I knew it would so it probably won't be on the auction site long as Ebay will be removing it soon. We all know seller "ans_autographs" to have sold hundreds of fake autograph items on Ebay. Our numerous complaints to Ebay have been ignored. With the Bears and Colts in the Super Bowl you will be seeing many forged team-signed and individual items from both teams.....Chris W.
hey jeter_sucks, thanks for the info on barry's marketing firm. hopefully they will care enough to make some attempt to do something about it, and not say that they are not the ebay police.
the signed game used card does look pretty legit, but every signature i have seen of barry, the "B" in Bonds has a more pronounced loop than the "B" he signs in Barry. also, the "s" at the end of Bonds is usually very unique, as the one on the card looks very much like a normal cursive "s". we'll have to wait and see what they say. i e-mailed them as well before i saw that you did.
Whats the deal with this bat? Cardinals team signed... 100% fake (in my humble opinion). But it has a COA (or at least a sticker) from Global GAI. My guess is he took it from another item and put it on this cheat junk... not so cheap, someone paid 1 G for it. Let me know your thoughts. -J
Do you have an item number for the Cards team signed bat?
320078434659 -J
Does anybody have any opinions of realsports_memorabilia? A lot of his stuff is authenticated by Tristar or GAI. I'm watching one of his Tristar auctions and wanted some opinions before I bid.
jeter_sucks, i just got a response from barry's people.. they said the game used card was a fake autograph, and the second one is "probably real from the late 80's"
if it's a late 80's signature, it must be an early 90's as well, because it is on a 93 stadium club
Hey guys - I just checked out the Cardinals team signed bat that sold for $1500. I kinda feel sorry for the guy who bought it - because GAI is supposed to be at the top of their industry.
This bat is 100% fake. I have said it many times in this forum that the GAI team signed items are bogus. The person who signs those COA's (initials JP) is passing these through the system...and I see them all the time. Sometimes they are on black bats with silver paint pen, sometimes they are jerseys. If yu look at this item, all of the sigs slant in the same direction...which is funny becasue some of the guys (Jim Edmonds) is left handed. Jim never signs that way...the E in Edmonds is complete...not a slant down. And has anyone seen a Pujols P as pointy as that one???
I have plenty of Cardinals examples in my collection and I have watched them sign various items at team functions and in person at games. I know for a fact that certain dealers in STL have "contacts" with certain people that are loose with certification...I am sure it goes on with other companies, but it is far more prevalant at GAI.
I have sent them emails to get their opinion (I have them if you would like to see them) and I never got a response. I feel that I could do a far better job of authenticating my own purchases than to trust GAI. I have a feeling that there is going to be trouble for them in the future - and everyone who has an item (other than from a witnessed privae signing) is going to lose significant value on their investment with GAI sticker attached. Again I have PROOF of this. If anyone from GAI wishes to respond, I would love to hear it..so far you have ignored me, and the evidence keeps on piling up....
has anyone here seen any of "rjmautographs" items? i was looking at this brian westbrook signed mini helmet 170076823642 and i checked out their other items, and they have plenty of star athletes for low buy it now prices. including a johnny damon signed 8x10 for $15. now i'm not sure, but i think for $15 you wouldn't be able to touch a damon steiner auto'd 8x10. take a look and let me know the verdict. thanks
J-Man -
OK, I looked at rjmautographs.
I looked at two items that I am very familiar with - Peyton Manning and Greg Maddux. He has a Manning helmet for sale right now at $66...looks fake based on Mannings current signing habits...placement. Someone else might have a different opinion.
The Maddux auto looks suprisingly good - although the photo of him signing shows him with a ball in his hand an not an 8x10.
I would do a quick opinion on it just to be sure - Wish I had a more scientific answer, but that is what so many folks are here for - someone want to help out our buddy J-Man?
BTW, loved the comments about the Jeter and Bonds forged items. Had me rolling last night.
Tip -
Pay attention to the photos of athletes signing in COA's. Make sure it is the item in question as I mentioned above. Fansidastands used the same photos over and over again...and people bought it continually.
Hey bigtruck! I contacted the buyer of the Cardinals signed bat and told him what you said and to read the comments in this blog concerning the bat. He thanked me for my concern but was convinced the bat was authentic since it was authenticated by GAI who in his opinion is the best authenticator in the business. I suggested he contact you for you opinion since you are probably the premier Cardinal signature expert these days. Maybe you can change his mind. Bobw
Just talked to Justin Priddy at GAI, 949-366-9500, said 2006 Cardinals Autographed bat is real deal. If anyone tries to remove GAI sticker it will crumble. Call him if you have questions.
Justin is either:
A. A liar
B. In bed with the seller
C. A moron who should be completely discredited as an authenticator of autographs and fired from GAI.
Any thoughts?
Again, I am not an expert - but I have ALOT of experience with Cardinals signatures. I could care less what Priddy Says - I know for a FACT that I have seen items that he has his name attached to that are fakes. The bat in question has several signatures that are not genuine - and that is my OPINION. And I will say this again - Eventually an athlete is going to be confronted with an item that has been processed by GAI and they are going to deny it was signed by them.
AND Priddy is not the premier authenticator in the business. I know many serious collectors and dealers that will not touch GAI. If you read far enough back in this blog you will discover that.
GAI has a witnessing program for signing - that is legit...but the 2006 Cardinals stuff is VERY questionable. GO to Pujolsfamilyfoundation.com and read the autograph headline.
VP Todd Perry says that Albert does not sign jerseys and bats. He also said that he is aware of Albert signing on two pieces of 06 World series team items...and Albert has one of them. So if you don't trust me, trust the source - Albert himself.
In other words, bigtruck260 says all Pujols signed items and Cardinal signed articles are fake. Do not trust Steiner, PSA, GAI,JSA, Pujols Foundation, or Tri-Star. Only trust bigtruck260. He knows it all!
This site is worthless. You do not trust any authenticator because you believe Every authentification hologram has been tampered with and placed on a fake item. The whole autograph business is a fake and trust no one even if you saw the person sign it.
The last two comments were clearly posted by a complete fool. If you would read this blog you might learn something. We have never said all items are fake or all authentication comapnies are frauds. We just point out when they make mistakes, and they do. Get a life, learn to read, and then maybe you can post something of value on this blog. -J
Right - the person who wrote that probably has a hard time with reading comprehension.
If you would look at the rest of the posts, I said that I know the difference between a fake Albert Pujols signature and a real one - as well as many other CARDINALS PLAYERS.
I have also said that I use JSA and sometimes PSA if the item is high-dollar and I need to have it insured. I shy away from GAI because I have seem questionable items. I HAVE ALSO SEEN PLENTY OF REAL ITEMS TOO. Everyone makes mistakes, but certain companies seem to make them more frequently.
I practice what I preach guys. Look at my eBay profile
(Bigtruck260) There are plenty of sigs I purchased without anyone's sticker on it. You will even find a GAI item in there if you want to waste your time.
As far as PFF - It is a reliable site - and I bet dealers of fakes want thier customers to stay away from it...You are not the first or last person to knock me or anyone else who posts here. I know who you are, and I think its funny that you chose to waste your appearance here...BTW, not sure why you're so mad...you made a grand. Second guessing yourself?
I was the seller of the 2006 Cardinals autographed bat. I have read the comments above and have also read the comments on the other questionable items. It would be different if I listed questionable items with bogus COA's to have said the things you said (bigtruck,) but I have impeccable feedback and only sell authenticated autographs with COA's or LOA's from GAI, PSA, or JSA that can be verified at their website or by contacting them. It would be different if it was a COA from Batter-UpCollectibles. Even if it is a PSA Quick Opinion that I list, I always sell my items with at least that. I've sold over 10 Babe Ruth autographed items with LOA's from PSA, JSA, and GAI. I always offer a 100% money back guarantee. I accept PayPal. And the last time I checked, GAI is an Ebay approved authenticator. BigTruck260 is not. If you want to slam someone's auction or question their motives, stick to the Sam's Club COA's. Use your expert opinion when you are looking at bogus items. Not legitimate sellers.
Okay, I've read enough. My turn. Let's acknowledge one thing here, and that is that I would rather have Bigtruck authentic any St. Louis Cardinals autograph than GAI. My disdain for GAI is widely known because 95% of the Derek Jeter GAI Authenticated autographs that I have seen were obvious fakes. I've been questioning their authentication practices for years, especially when it comes to Derek Jeter autograph items. I first began to question GAI two years when a seller on Ebay (from here in NJ) was selling a ton of fake Derek Jeter, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle autograph items. They were obvious forgeries. I complained to Ebay feverishly and submitted approximately ten of that seller's autograph items to "Quick Opinion" and every one of them came back as "Likely Not Genuine." Ebay then suspended that seller. Well that seller then sent his items to GAI for authentication and GAI authenticated all of those Jeter's, Mantle's and Joe D's that failed "Quick Opinion." That's when my disdain for GAI began, when I saw all the garbage they were authenticating. The Pujols Family Foundation will tell you that Mr. Pujols does not sign bats and jerseys, whether they are individually or team-signed items. And yet during and following the 2006 World Series there were a ton of forged team-signed St. Louis Cardinals found on Ebay that all included Mr. Pujols' autograph. Some of those were GAI authenticated that were highly suspicious and I relayed my suspicions to Bigtruck (who happens to be the biggest Cardinals collector that I've ever known). Bigtruck confirmed my findings and told me they were fake. I'd like to know how these collectors, who are from all over the country, manage to acquire a St. Louis Cardinals team-signed bat or jersey. That Cardinals team-signed bat is nothing but a scribbly mess and Mr. Pujols never would have signed that bat. What really amuses me about that auction is the seller inserting into the title description "GAI=PSA." Nothing could be further from the truth.....Chris W.
i haven't yet getten a chance to read everything that happened in here today, but i wanted to say... what a shame this is 160081177298. read the description. look who issued the COA.
I just found your site and have a couple of questions. I was wanting to buy a Pujols signed Jersey and espauctions has one for sale. It has a picture of Albert signing a Jersey and Albert signing a bat but they say on this site he does not. Are the pictures of Albert real?
So Chris W., look on ebay for Pujols authenticated cards and you will see that Pujols signature changes in each one. And I have seen that Cardinals bat auction and I have to say, if it is authenticated by GAI, I would pay money for it. If bigtruck says it is fake, then maybe he should work for PSA or GAI. And GAI has always been just as good as PSA to me when it comes to autographs. There prices are better which is why I choose to send to them and not to PSA. I can only go with the experts, and if GAI says it is real, who are you to say it is not?
Let this fool waste his money on a GAI item... since he knows better of course. He probally believes everything he reads as well... not always safe. I wish he was the who bought the bat. I would sit back and smile. -J
GAI...PSA...JSA...Steiner...UDA...guess what those have in common chrisw? THEY ARE ALL APPROVED EBAY AUTHENTICATORS! And, for your information, the Cardinals bat was signed for one of the LA Dodger bat boys. I purchased the bat, had it authenticated, and then sold it. Bigtruck260 will tell you that it is his OPINION. But his OPINION is only that. There is no bigtruck260Quick Opinion I can send items to, nor would I until he, like the AUTHENTICATORS, is LICENSED AND CERTIFIED. GAI is PSA is JSA to me. Are you saying you would scoff at a GAI authenticated Babe Ruth ball? I think not.
I forgot to put in the Ebay item #280009035866 on my last post for th Pujols signed Jersey from espauctions. I thought he did not sign Jerseys, but this shows he does. Is this real?
The Elite signing is from several years ago, and notice the price tag on it and the bats they sell. They are authentic - And the rarity is reflected in the price. ESP also has a photo of Albert during the signing and the signature is readable and CLEARLY AUTHENTIC. Most of the items from that signing also have a MLB authentication sticker.
To the gentleman from Batter Up Collectibles: Hey bud, I sent you a thoughtful email - I never slammed you, just the compnay that authenticated that bat you were selling. I have no doubt that you are honest, and reliable. I know of many local guys who have been duped. Your integrity was never in question...as a matter of fact, I would buy from you if I saw something I liked. For the record, You appear to be on the up and up regardless of the GAI=PSA listing which is against Ebay rules.
The issue I have with that bat is that everyone has been selling them as recent items...as opposed to the ESP auction that took place with ROLEN and EDMONDS several years ago...as a matter of fact, both those guys still sign for them occasionally.
The 2006 World Series items are questionable because of what Albert has stated in press releases and through his website. Batter Up - OK, GAI has to look at a book of exemplars to compare signatures of players through the years. I can look at certain items in passing and tell immediately that they are fake or at least questionable. If that is the case, then I feel that I am comparable to the "experts" at GAI. Again, if an item is real you do not need a sticker, because a true collector will know the difference.
PSA, JSA and GAI were created to help average collectors discern from the real an the fake - they were also created to help dealers make more money...and they were created to MAKE MONEY. If they rejected everything they would not get return buisness.
And finally, I gave an OPINION on the bat you were selling. I didn't have to look at Albert or Edmonds or Rolen...I looked at the So Taguchi sig - that's all I needed. I wonder if the guys at GAI could tell the difference without digging through a binder of signatures from the 1996 ORIX Blue Wave.
What else?
And I would scoff at at GAI Ruth Baseball.
batter-upcollectibles, thats a nice story, but just that... story. maybe you wanted to say that the bat boy signed the bat. funny thing is, even if this was signed for him... your telling me he was carying around a generic NON GAME MODEL bat you buy at a store... since he is a BAT BOY with access to hundreds of real bats, why the heck would he get a cheap generic rawlings bat signed? If you are going to make up stories, get your facts straight. Come on now... nice try. -J
but bigtruck, your e-mail was indeed thoughtful and I don't condone the other comments here that are questionable, because I do believe you are doing it for the right reason. but even you would have to admit that Taguchi's autograph could change over time...just like that of michael jordan and now of lebron james in only 3 short years. 2 more things: 1. when i said it was a 2006 World Series signed bat, i was not implying that it was signed after or during the world series. it was not, it was signed during the season. but, it was signed by the eventual world champs. 2. i checked out the Pujols Family Foundation site and Albert Pujols is indeed a great guy...i only have one grievance. i did not see anywhere that he does not sign bats and jerseys, but there is a Pujols autographed bat available on the site
Thanks for the feedback. I am a new collector and you guys got me confused. You say he does not sign Jerseys and bats but you say he did for ESP. Also, Pujols has signed bats for sale on his Foundation site. So he does sign bats and jerseys. Right?
anonymous J
I can't do any more than give the gai certification number and the website and offer a 100 percent money back guarantee on ALL my items. as far as your comments, you don't know me, I don't know you, so I would appreciate if you kept your comments to yourself. what is your ebay ID and your feedback? You don't have to buy my items, I'm 100 fine with that, but at least I always guarantee what your buying.
I'd like to clarify one thing and that is, from what I understand (and Bigtruck knows about this much better than I do), Mr. Pujols stopped signing bats and jerseys a couple of years ago after his concern for all the forgeries of his autograph on Ebay. That signed jersey was probably from a few years ago. And we've all heard the stories about how some sellers "acquired" their autograph items. The "batboy" story is a common one, although it may be true, but here's my problem with that autographed bat. Every autograph was done with the same amount of "pen pressure." And what's with the "Rawlings Big Stick?" Why would they sign that instead of a bat right from the clubhouse? Bat boys don't bring bats from home. And would I scoff at a GAI Authenticated Babe Ruth baseball. I also see where the buyers of many "Fansindastands" items are now being resold on Ebay. Anything with a COA from seller "Fansindastands" is a fake. I see also where Ebay continues to allow sellers like Dqbean252, Prestigesigs, Pjuice1757, Zeke43098, 2004senod2004, and Fenway620 to continue selling their fakes. Seller "Sportsgraphs1" is now "Unregistered" on Ebay......Chris W.
Sorry batter didn’t mean to point out something critical that proves your story false. Look, maybe you honestly thought the bat was real, but do you think we are honestly ALL wrong? I think not. GAI is a business, and what I love most is their “only pay the full amount if the item passes deal”… so you think they are going to say, nope, the bat is fake, that will be 10 bucks. Or, looks to be authentic, that’s $150. Think about it. -J
Speaking of GAI and Babe Ruth, here is a new auction that just went up. What do you think? 110088863958. Looks funny to me, probably smells like Purina too. -J
The bat is a Big Stick Professional Model, just like the big leaguers use. Personally, I don't know why that type bat was signed, but I know I would not feel comfortable asking Mr. Pujols or anyone else for a bat and to have them sign it. I did speak to Paul Brannon who played for the Mariner's San Bernardino minor league affiliate in the early 90's and he said that generic bats were common in the clubhouse for those who were just called up, those who did not have bat contracts, etc...
Again, I'm not sure why this particular model bat was signed. I do know a Pujols autographed and game used bat was recently sold by either Sotheby's or Heritage that was not sold by his Foundation because it was authenticated by PSA.
I would like to again apologize to bigtruck. From what I understand and have read, you do offer valid opinions on auctions, but I think you are wrong here.
Chris W...I have absolutely no idea why you claim all the autographs have the same slant and pen pressure. Having had the bat and examined it myself prior to sending it to GAI, I can tell you that is not the case. Maybe it was the picture angles, or just the pictures themselves, but that is not the case.
Please note!!
A follow up to the GAI comment I made, I hope everyone knows what GAI is doing... They attract customers by advertising to only charge 10 dollars if an item does not pass (PSA charges the full amount pass or fail). By doing this, it’s very attractive for customers, but do you think GAI is honestly going to make 100% legitimate decisions doing so. Just like the bat, $10 if they fail it, $150 if they pass it. Either way, it’s their opinion and that’s it, my bet is they pass it, and 9 out of 10 other fakes they see. -J
"Global Authentication is the only authentication company offering
a $10 dollar review fee for any autographed item.
* If the submitted item does not pass, you will only be charged $10 dollars."
Batter UP and everyone else...I am going to put this issue to rest here with this - straight from the PujolsFamily Foundation webstite:
http://pujolsfamilyfoundation.com/news65.htm
Please note: Albert does not sign jerseys or bats for the public. If there is a bat or jersey for sale, without documentation from the St. Louis Cardinals or the Pujols Family Foundation, I would be very wary. If the description says something like: "I got this bat signed at the team hotel when Albert came to town…" chances are the item is fake. The Foundation's memorabilia store is the only place I currently know where you can buy an authentic autographed Pujols bat.
2006 World Series Team signed memorabilia: There are very, very few authentically team signed World Series items in existence. I have only seen two (and they both belonged to Albert), and I have yet to see a legitimate WS team signed item on EBay.
And Batter-Up - again, no knock against you, but Taguchi's sig has not changed since 2002. I have sigs from 2002 AND this year on different items. The Japanese characters beloe the sig are very hard to duplicate. If you want, email me and I will show you an authentic one from 2006.
You guys have to remember...I am a Cards collector so I am looking on eBay all the time. I know what is real and what is not. I have heard and seen a thousand stories about how things were acquired. If you want to see a real Pujols ball without a hologram or authentication, check out 260083287502 - that guy has 3 of them .
And Taguchi
250052708130
Does this help?
I also caught that GAI Authenticated Babe Ruth autographed baseball. Very questionable. There is something not quite right about that autograph......Chris W.
Nah J - probably not an Alpo ball. It looks like a good old Ruth Sig. I'd have someone look at it first, but I would guess that it is real - and if it is, it's a great bold sig...but the Marino family was pretty good, so ya never know. Good call.
Now that (Ebay Item Number 260083287502) is a true Albert Pujols autograph. The Albert Pujols on that bat from Ebay Item Number 320078434659 is simply not Albert's autograph. Just think, someone paid $1,000.00 for that.....Chris W.
Batter Up - straight from your listng:
Why is this bat so rare? Albert Pujols new autograph contracts with certain companies now limit him to signing certain items unless under their supervision (and you will never see another bat signed by the entire 2006 World Series Champions!) Cardinal and Pujols fans take note, this is a must have!
Obviously you were doing your homework about the rarity of Pujols sigs on bats...not all of us are gullible. And I see "2006 WS Cardinals signed bats" at least once every few days....they are not rare, and they are not real.
Look at Taguchi's auto on item
140076384496 authenticated by Mounted Memories
Still think there is no difference? Looks completely different that the auction you posted with a COA from Mack's Memorabilia to me.
bigtruck, thanks for the post. Im not a Babe Ruth expert, it just looked to good to be true...
As for your comment on the Pujols baseball without holograms, with all due respect, do you really think its authentic? It looks ok I guess compaired to others, but when I looked at the guys other auctions (especially the Pujols signed black baseball in Gold, which to me looks like a certain fake) along with all the signed footballs, etc. it makes me question the authenticity of any of the sellers items, including all 3 Pujols baseballs. Just asking... check out his other stuff and let me know your thoughts. -J
Another thing about the guy with the 3 Pujols balls, he also has a photo. Claims they were all signed the same day, do you really think Pujols is going to sign 4 items for one person in the same day? Let me know... guy seems fishy to me. Thanks.
Check Ebay Item Number 320040691715......Chris W.
140076384496
There is no #99 ofter SO in the MM auction, - otherwise, like I said before...the Japanese characters are the same. No Question. That is how you can tell. Sometimes he doesn't sign his name at all...and rarely, he just signs his name and no characters. However, he is very consistent with the way he signs all three versions. The characters on your bat were off, but close. If you want more proof look at the Scott Spezio auto. It has curved letters...Scotty signs his with lighting bolts for an "S".
big truck
I just looked at the Pujols ball you listed AND the sellers other items. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Dean Smith has not signed public autographs since 1983. And so many hand signed in person items? I don't think so.
And I did list the bat as rare, it is rare, it is authentic, and as you state from the Pujols web site, be WARY. That does not mean that 100% of all items out there that are not authenticated by the Pujols Foundation are not real.
And I don't consider a bat boy "the general public."
They are a lot closer to major leaguers every day than you or I.
As for Pujols varying autograph, here are three authenticated items that ALL look different:
160048681038
250080583656
110087611829
All 3 of those are from 2006. And by the way, check out the difference in his A's and P's.
Looks like you should mind your own P's and Q's before you start questioning a legitimate seller with authenticated items.
AEP Milhouse is owned and operated by Chris Mihlfeld - one of Albert's best friends. It is in the KC area about 3 hours from St. Louis. He does have several clinics a year out there.
The balls look legit (the Black and gold one is kinda shaky - I'll admit). Also, the guy is selling a big ass panoramic photo. Think about this...some kid's offers a few kids a hundred buck for thier baseball...maybe two or even three hundo. Check out his selling price. Those are some good full sigs from El Hombre. I'd say I am 90% sure of it (nobody is ever perfect).
The Taguchi autographs are VERY different. The Mounted Memories is real, the Mack's COA is fake.
Man am I ever sorry I made that posting! I just wanted to give the guy that bought the Cardinal signed bat a head's up! Sorry bigtruck, looks like I started a ##$$@@ storm.
But that is the general public he is signing for.
Hey Batter Up - I thought you were done. I was trying to be nice to you...
Alberts sigs do very, but unfortunately none look like the one you had on that bat. EXCEPT for the jerseys that were signed by the same ring that GAI has been authenticating. I'd be upset too if someone questioned my integrity. Every time you post you look more and more desperate.
Pujols Auto JSA LOA - Read 'em and weep:
260081451693
GAI Team signed jersey - LOOK at the Pujols auto on this one....
220073214762
Compare it to the JSA sig I just posted...and the three other balls. Does it look like the JSA one? Is the "P" Pointed like the one on Batter Up's bat?
Batter Up - I mind my P's and A's and your P's and A's don't look right. If I were you , I would complain to your bat boy - but then again, you made a grand and you are upset...so upset that you have spent the night defending yourself. That is called seller's remorse. I have made my point and I am going to bed.
PS - on Big Mack's Taguchi bat...Chris and I PSA Quick Optioned several of his items and they came back good. he is a solid seller of Cardinals stuff. You have no idea what you are talking about.
Look desperate? I'm trying to prove a point...that you are a collector, not an authenticator as evidenced in your postings about Taguchi. I have no idea what you meant about the Pujols listing that just ended. I could care less if you are nice to me or not. My objective is to show to the others reading these posts that you are not the Cardinals afficionado that you claim to be as evidenced in some of the listings that you have just claimed to be real. My bat: GAI
Your ball: Mack's COA
As far as I or anyone else here knows, you could be promoting your own items under a different ebay id.
My ultimate point is what it was from the beginning. Knock your bogus Sam's Club COA's, your fanindestand COA's, or even your Mack's COA's, but leave the Professionally Authenticated items out of your discussions.
You have already proven to me you don't know what your talking about, and you continue to do so by claiming autos like that Taguchi and the Pujols balls are real.
READ EM AND WEEP
By the way bigtruck, love that Jim Edmonds GAI authenticated 8X10 photo you bought.
Ebay item #160056740122
Again -
Feel free to check my profile - I get nothing out of posting here but the satisfaction of helping other people.
I have a very great knowledege of Cardinals memorabilia - I don't need GAI to tell me something is real, I am able to make my own determinations...something you are unable to do because you keep defending your "authenticated" bat.
Anyone who looks at the Pujols sigs I posted will realize what the truth is. I have said this from the beginning...I was never knocking you or your business. However after seeing your reaction tonight and your defensive behavior, I realized that you are like every other seller of fake items...
You could easily have just told me to F--- off, but you didn't. You came in to support GAI, who the majority of posters here know is not a friend of the collector. Are you defending them because they did you a favor? I mean, you witnessed the bat being signed right?
The thing is, you bought a fake because YOU didn't know any better. The fact that GAI processed it is a gift to you - take it, run and never bring it up again. You put GAI on a pedastal and let people rake you over the coals for it. All that has been accomplished is that GAI will be scrutinized by everyone who reads this.
I gave up selling on eBay at the end of last year because I could not compete with the forgeries. SO, I have nothing to offer anyone - and I have no reason to attack anyone.
You sold a bat that was authenticated by an Ebay approved company. So, you did nothing wrong, right?
Oh yeah, since GAI is a professional OPINION, it is open to interpretation. It has been slammed before you were here, and it will be slammed long afterward.
Stick to selling cards.
I told everyone here that I have a GAI item in my profile. Nothing to hide. And I quote:
(Bigtruck260) There are plenty of sigs I purchased without anyone's sticker on it. You will even find a GAI item in there if you want to waste your time.
I made a BIG mistake with that item. I bought it at the last minute for my brother in law - when I got it, it did not look right. I should have looked at the auction harder - BUT I TRUSTED GAI.
I looked at the seller's other items and was ashamed at myself for not giving the item a closer look.
You are just proving my point by pointing that item out Batter's up. That GAI should not be trusted and all of thier items are questionable. Good job, Thanks. You have finally contributed something of substance.
No, not seller's remorse. I feel sorry for all of those that have taken your advice and been led astray. And its nice to know that you are quick opinioning a sellers items that you are obviously promoting. A friend perhaps?
Again: Mack's COA or GAI?
Evidently you thought enough of GAI to buy the Edmond's photo, but you don't feel confident enough to buy the Taguchi autographed bat or hat with the Mack's COA?
Maybe because I'm correct and you are promoting someone else's items?
Defending myself? No. Again--I only sell authenticated items and always offer 100% money back guarantee. Trying to prove my point that you, Chris W, and J have a little scam going here is more like it.
You are only making yourself look like a fool. You should really just stop.
I have purchased from BIG MACK, yes, because I know his stuff is legit. That is why I used him as an example. You must have missed the fact that I have purchased several items from him in my profile. While you were clicking every single entry to see what I sell and buy...it was a waste of time, too, wasn't it? You discovered that I buy a lot of Cardinals stuff and that I know more about it than you - right?
Anyway, Chris, J and I need to get back to sleep so that we can start fresh on our "scam" tomorrow.
And thanks for letting us use you as an example - it has been a while since someone actually defended themselves here. I guess I should tip my hat to you.
Good luck Batter's Up Collectibles. We are beginning to get childish...and we're adults - right? Good night. Dave
Bigtruck,
Your right about one thing...theirs is the professional opinion. Yours is just your opinion.
I'll continue to take the professional opinion and I hope every reader who looks over this wasted night of typing will do the same thing and stay away from your, chris W and J's free advertising for your so called authentic items.
Man,you guys have worn me out with this!I am a strictly a Pujols collector and I have looked at all the auctions you guys posted,and while I normally agree with you BT260,I have to say I have some items I purchased from the Pujols Foundation and tons of Pujols autographed cards that look just like that autograph on the bat.Not trying to start anything,just my opinion.I hate Global,but I think they got this one right.
Just a quick comment to Mr. Batter Upcollectibles. Not once in my writings here, since the beginning, have I ever mentioned my Ebay ID, or anything that I may be selling. If anything, I buy much more than I sell. Bigtruck and I have never promoted ourselves in this blog. We do this because we are sick and tired of the forgeries on the auction sites, mainly Ebay. I've been doing my own personal investigation into the fake memorabilia industry for over two years now. I helped HBO Sports prep their show on the same subject last January and was in New York twice to meet with the producers to describe to them the "bad guys" methods and who they are. We've seen sellers with well over 5,000 positive feedback who sold nothing but forged items. We've caught rings of "bad sellers" who worked together to scam buyers and whose total positive feedback was over 15,000 (they sold over 17,000 forged autograph items). We all know about seller "Americansportscollectibles" who sold over 2,500 fake autographed footballs. I could go on and on. And as much as we discuss particular questionable autographs, we also know that we must place half the blame on Ebay themselves who allow the "bad sellers" to continue to sell. I've always wondered what percentage of Meg's income came directly from the sales of forged autograph items. Ebay must do more to stop the sales of forged autograph items on their auction site.........Chris W.
Chris W
I could not agree more with you on that point. But how many of those items that you claim to be fake come authenticated from GAI?
The truth is I have commented a few times on Derek Jeter GAI authenticated items that were obvious fakes. Like I mentioned in a previous comment about that seller who sold a ton of fake Jeter, Mantle and Joe DiMaggio autograph items, they all failed "Quick Opinion" and Ebay suspended him for a while. Then he took those same autograph items and sent them to GAI and GAI authenticated all of them and he was back on Ebay selling the same fakes that failed "Quick Opinion." And these were not borderline fakes, they were obvious fakes. Now there is a NY Yankees GAI authenticated baseball on Ebay now that includes Derek's autograph and that Jeter autograph is authentic. But Bigtruck and myself have discovered many more obvious fake Jeter GAI authenticated items than we have legitimate ones. And I just don't shoot my mouth off at the hip. I am very meticulous when I look into anything and then write about it. GAI is a prequalified authenticator on Ebay so nothing will happen to GAI authenticated items on Ebay, but we can still voice our opinion on the autograph items that GAI authenticates especially us collectors who are more than familiar with certain athletes......Chris W.
READ THIS!
pretend you came across an unauthenticated ball signed by the 1961 yankees at your elderly neighbors yard sale. would you rather get it authenticated by a company that looks at signatures from all teams and sports on a daily basis, or would you rather have someone who collects nothing but yankees. eats sleeps and lives yankees. i don't know if bigtruck eats sleeps and lives cardinals, but i would trust his opinion over gai. i've never dealt with either of them. so no, i am not just a friend "trying to promote bigtruck" but from reading this blog, i know that he has extensive knowledge about the cardinals. maybe gai does have a cardinals only authenticator, but with as many bats as fansindastands has put out this year, why would they need one? there would be no work for him. gai means nothing. it is their OPINION, and they gave it to you for a fee. bigtruck offered his OPINION free of charge. he had nothing to gain from it. i looked over his feedback, and saw many of the cardinals players signatures he has purchased. just because an item has a hologram sticker with a matching certificate does not mean it's authntic. the only way to know something is 100% authentic is to witness the signing in person. the seller and buyer weren't there, and bigtruck wasn't there. ok, so neither of you know 100%. but bigtruck being the cardinals collector, has a better non-profit opinion than some for-profit company. and beside the fact of his knowledge, albert's website itself says that he doesn't sign bats for the general public. batboy = general public. didn't it also say albert owns one of the 2 existing team signed items? since all of the signatures are done in the same blue sharpie, that would mean 1 of 2 things, 1) all signatures were signed at same time by the players, or 2) all signatures were signed at same time by one person. even if the bat was passed around the clubhouse, how hard would it be to have them all sign it? i'm sure the guys aren't all standing in line waiting to sign it. you would have to pretty much chase them down. and here is the icing on the cake.. i read an interview in ESPN magazine with a batboy, and part of the batboy rules is (drumroll) they are NOT ALLOWED TO ASK PLAYERS FOR AUTOGRAPHS. i'm sure the players are aware of that rule, and i'm sure that maybe a few sign for them anyways, but do you really think the whole team would agree with that rule? especially albert pujols, who can sell his signature on his website to put money in his foundation. if i had the job as a batboy, i wold not risk losing it for a chance to get a team signed bat. being a bat boy is a great job if you ask me.. you get paid to watch baseball games and even get to be right with the players.
if you don't believe me, i will search my magazine collection to find that article. attack me all you want, but it is what it is.
To the writer of the previous comment: Well Written.....Chris W.
thanks chris
Nice post J-man. Maybe that will finally shut up mr. batter-up, but probably not. Look, we here (bigtruck, j-man, Chris W, etc.) know what we are talking about. We all have are specialty areas. I'm new to the board, but I have been collecting Yankees memorabilia for over 8 years. I have hundreds of Jeter’s, Rivera’s, Bernie’s, to Mantle to DiMaggio. I spend hours every day for the past 8 years studying, collecting, and enjoying the hobby I love. I guarantee myself (as well as Chris W) can do a much better job authenticating a Jeter autograph then the nuts a GAI. They are running a business, they hire people to work for the business, and ultimately their goal is to earn money. If they miss one or two, or 50 Jeter’s a month, oh well, it means more money for them (AND THEY DO). If Chris or I or anyone else misses one Jeter and we spend our hard earned money on it, it means we just lost out on 150+ bucks. Who do you think is going to be more careful? Who do you think is going to be more knowledgeable? Think about it. I also have GAI authenticated items in my collection as well, but as others have said, they are purchased already KNOWING the item was authentic, the GAI means nothing to us, same with PSA DNA or Spence. To a person who knows nothing about the hobby, they play a valuable role, to true collectors; they are just another piece of paper. Mr. Batterup, your cause is lost, just move on. You got a gift from GAI, take it and run, stop trying to defend yourself... we are not going to fall for it, just take it and run, your image is tainted, trying to defend yourself with continuous lies is not going to restore your image, maybe you should spend your time educating yourself about the hobby and less digging your self into a hole and looking like the fool you truly are. Sincerely, -J
Well written, J-Man. The truth is, and we have all mentioned it here, we are better judges of a favorite athlete's autograph than GAI or PSA. And like the other writers in here have written, take your $1,000.00 and feel fortunate. I will also admit that I have tested PSA's "Quick Opinion" objectivity on a few occassions and they have passed. In other words, I submitted a few items to "Quick Opinion" that I knew were authentic and "Quick Opinion" passed them. I did that as test and PSA passed that test with flying colors. No one is perfect, but I like using "Quick Opinion" for documentational purposes because sometime in the future the hard copies of my investigation will come in handy. Also, and we have all seen it here, some of the garbage that GAI has authenticated, especially Jeter autograph items. If they authenticate a seller's questionable autograph items you can bet that seller will be sending GAI more business. And that also enables that seller to sell it on Ebay without fear of removal since GAI is prequalified by Ebay.......Chris W.
I was a bat boy for 3 years with the Mets. I asked for and received autographs every day. I'll stick with batterup and the other postings here that defend Licensed Authenticators. If they stick an item as authentic, I'll believe them before any of you.
Opinions are opinions -
I very well could be wrong on the Cards team signed bat, but the evidence behind my statements has at least caused enough ruckus to force people to post thier thoughts...some who have probably never posted before.
If everyone who is new to collecting reads this blog, they will have both sides of a valid argument.For the record Batter's UP (this is about the fifth time I have said this) nothing against you, you sold a bat that was authenicated by a major company. I do not believe that you thought you were doing something wrong. And you weren't. That is a fact.
I like that fact that you at least came in here and defended your item - it is more than most do...and you stood behind your product. Just like you promised.
I thought about it last night, and you are not the problem. Many folks have come here really upset and left with a new perception of the collector and thier point of view - I hope that you know more about your potential customers now.
This blog truly serves a purpose in the collecting community. To everyone who posted for either side, I appreciate your comments -
Dave
" I was a bat boy for 3 years with the Mets. I asked for and received autographs every day. I'll stick with batterup and the other postings here that defend Licensed Authenticators. If they stick an item as authentic, I'll believe them before any of you. "
and i signed the Declaration Of Independence. I'd believe GAI over what you just said
batterup is just one of the dealers who just buys things with gai thinking there real
listen everybody who is a promoter in this business knows gai sucks.that bat was fake but like many people they feell like there doing nothing wrong because it says gai on it.those sighnatures if you pay close attention on the cards bat look like they were signed by the same person.theres a look of simlar slat patterens in serval different signatures
i tell you this i would bet what the auction sold for psa woldnt authenticate it
jeter_sucks"
I agree with Jeter_Sucks on this. Also, check out Ebay Item Number 320079812837.....Chris W.
This is the same stuff everyday with you guys. Get a life. Chris if anyone doesnt agree with your opinion you trash them and then have all of your croonies/followers do the same. Gai is PSA. All of the employees/owners from Gai are from PSA. They got tired of the corporate bullshit and left. Remember psa is on the stock market and has to answer to stock holders. REMEMBER GAI WAS SUPPORTED BY CHRIS IN THE HBO SPECIAL UNTIL CHRIS DIDNT GET PUT ON TV AND THEN HE STARTED BASHING THEM. Gai started for the consumer. Even if someone puts a post here that doesnt agree with you, j-man, bigtruck, jeter-sucks, etc, you guys just bash them. YOu all follow Chris like he is the great authenticator and mr investigator. All Chris wants is a stage to get his 15 minutes and you guys are following for it. HBO wouldnt give it to him but I am now glad all-authentics did.
and just as often as we agree with chris, some anonymous poster comes along and says the same things you just said.
check out the obvious fakes of "dqbean252" especially this ball that is signed by ryan howard and chase utley. i forget if this is the one with pat burrell, but this guys fakes are absolutely horrible.
here's a nice pujols ball 220079825572, BIN $100... the seller also has a ball signed by jeter "in person", and they have a steiner ball pictured with a steiner coa. from looking at their inventory, there's going to be a lot of dissaponted people who more than likely aren't going to be getting the pictured items.
gai sucks
i wouldnt dare put there name on something my company sells.i would rather says it doesnt have a coa then say it comes with global
checkout the payton manning auto's on ebay.last night there was 700 plus autos.keep in mind peyton hasnt done a signing this season.where did all this inventory come from all of the sudden??in a joint effort last week both steiner sports and mounted memories signed peyton manning to a long term exclusive contract.why would i pay 300 bucks to send in a helmet to have signed when they wont crack the whip on the ebay fakes??the 2 most powerful compaines in the business could really help ebay right now but they dont.
jeter&peyton suck"
J-Man, I saw that Jeter ball last night. I first saw the picture and was getting ready to jump all over it, then I read his description and checked his other items, realized he didn't take Paypal and decided to pass. This was also the first thing that ebay ID had ever sold. I was thinking the same thing about someone being real disappointed when they don't get the Steiner Ball.
-BC
Hey fellas.
I was not a Petyon Manning searcher until after the Superbowl. His sig is sloppy, so I guess it is easy to "duplicate"... But it certainly has distinguishing characteristics. This bring us to the Professional authentication question again.
If I have a ball or helmet signed by a superstar like Peyton, I am certainly going to invest 50 bucks or so to get it looked at by JSA or PSA. It will distiguish my product and I can put a minimum bid of $200 bucks on it and not care what people think.
These 99 cent NO RESERVE acutions should throw a red flag up immediately. Why would osmeone take a chance on selling a Manning football for $50-100 bucks??? For that price, I would keep it in my closet until he makes the HOF. Some of these unscrupulous sellers are not the sharpest tools (but they are tools).
BC, i was ready to jump on it too.. at that point it still had the BIN price of like $120 and i was sitting in history class and got all excited (then we all got in trouble for playing on the computers) and i went back to it and looked through his other auctions and decided to pass. good idea on my part.
Great idea on your part J-Man and BC. There are a few guys who use Steiner and MM images...another one was discussed in this thread.
You know, I have been tempted to buy one of these $100 bargain balls just to see what it looks like. When you email them, they never send you a photo of the actual item - just a runaround.
J-Man, I never saw the Jeter ball with the BIN price of $120. When I saw it had about 1 hour left and it was at like $68. The auction was poorly listed with no gallery picture and no "Steiner" in the heading, so at first I figured this person just listed it poorly and it slipped through the cracks, and it was ending pretty late at night here on the east coast. But after some research I came to the conclusion it was a good idea to pass. I was tempted to buy it and see what it was, I think I would have if he took Paypal, then I could have filed a claim had I not received what was advertised. But all in all I think we made a great move to pass on that item.
These are the exact situations that this blog is intended for. So many people can learn so much if they read this and apply what they learn to ebay shopping. If it's too good to be true, it probably is.
-BC
IN REFERENCE TO THE COMMENT ABOUT PEYTON AND ALL THE 99 CENT AUCTIONS I KNOW THERES TONS OF JUNK ON EBAY FOR PEYTON AND HIS TEAMATES BUT IN DEFENSE OF THE TERM 99CENT AUCTION THINKING A AUTOGRAPH ISNT REAL BECAUSE ITS PRICED AT 99 CENT TO START OFF THE AUCTION ISNT TRUE
I KNOW SEVRAL OF EBAYS MOST SUCCESFUL AND REPUTABLE DEALERS RUN A 99 CENT NO RESERVE AUCTION FOR ALL THERE ITEMS.THIS IS DONE TO SAVE BIG BUCKS ON EBAY FEES AS COLLECTORS REALLY DONT KNOW HOW MUCH THEY CAN PILE UP TO.MINE AVERAGE 5000 A MONTH.YOU MIGHT THINK LETS SAY THAT DAN MARINO HELMET ONLY SELLS FOR 160 ON A AUCTION AND THE SELLER IS LOSING MONEY.SOMETIMES THIS ISNT TRUE AT ALL.MANY OF THESE DEALERS AQUIRE THERE EBAY INVENTORY AS ITEMS THEY TOOK HOME FROM THERE SIGNINGS WHERE THEY MAY HAVE MADE 10-30 GRAND ALLREADY AND WHAT THEY THROW ON EBAY IN THERE MINDS IS 100% PURE PROFIT
jeter_sucks"
Good Point (J&PMS)
I guess the safe thing to do is look at the seller's inventory first and determine his legitimacy. However, If I was a dealer selling Manning footballs (let me be clear), I probably would not list it at a dollar. YOu are not losing that much in revenue at the beginning - and you are still responsible for the Final Value Fee. Why cheat yourself if you invested in legit signatures. 30K is nice, but why not make more if you have the means?
Sports Integrity often sells legit items for far less than they would retail...I always wondered how he managed that - now I know. But still, if you have someone who will pay 2/3 of the full price, why not just list it as a Buy it now, and take the chance?
Help me out here.
Some great news guys. Sellers Ferks012, Giftsandhobbies, and Sportsgraphs1 are all now "Unregistered" on Ebay. They were all selling fake autograph items. I am still filing reports to Ebay on sellers Dqbean252, Prestigesigs, Pjuice1757 and Fenway620. I am really puzzled by Ebay's lack of action with seller Dqbean252, as I have provided documented proof that they are selling fakes, especially his David Wright fake autographs that he sells on a weekly basis. Seller Prestigesigs continues to sell fakes also. He was caught two years selling fakes on Ebay and then he went to Yahoo. For some reason (more money for Meg?) Ebay has allowed him back on to sell their fake autograph items.....Chris W.
Sorry guys, I have to mention seller "2004senod2004" in my last comment. Isn't it amazing that all of these bad sellers were somehow able to acquire all of these Colts team-signed and individual autograph items. Jeter_Sucks makes a great point about the 700+ Peyton Manning autograph items on Ebay right now. I will venture to say that at least 600 are forgeries.....Chris W.
thats a good point big truck.i tell you why sellers tend it list 99 cent to avoid fees verus putting the item at lets say 199.99 opening bid.many bidders get sucked into the auction when its 5 bucks,20 bucks 50 bucks etc that would not normaly spend 200 bucks on the item but after going back and forth with other bidders they during a whole week sometimes they change there mind set to"i gotta have this" and then also others see people bidding so they start throwing there bids in and before you know it that baseball went for 205 bucks or somtimes 125.you have a higher succes rate of lasting on ebay making profits if you price no reserve
im different i spend all that money on banners,borders etc and run 1 cent with a hidden reserve and have a very high success rate
you mentioned you didnt know how sports inergerty does it sometimes?im right there with you on some of there stuff.a ton of his stuff comes direct from his signings but hes drop shipping stuff for steiner meaning hes selling things he doesnt own then having steiner ship them to his customers.i watched some of his auctions and know he takes a bath on a lot of his steiner items esp a-rod
i even bid on his auctions under a secondary account sometimes to win them under cost
jeter_sucks"
Heres one reason why you cant trust any autographs you buy off of ebay. Check out auction number 260082375681
Jeter_Sux
I stopped selling in December because of the increasing fees on eBay, and the fact that my rel stuff was being undercut by forgeries...I used to start everything at a buck too - figuring that the buyers would decide it's worth. It worked most of the time...but every now and then it wouldn't. I bought a lot of Nolan Ryan Foundation baseballs from a dealer in St. Louis. One dozen, various inscriptions all had the Ryan hologram. I put six on one week and averaged 80 bucks a ball. The second week though, it was really slow. One actually went for $40.
After that I decided that I would start the bidding at 70% of the price I wanted - no reserve, or I would do the dollar thing with a 70% reserve. I am not a big dealer, just someone who sold here and there when I thought I could make money - or to help a friend out.
I unerstand your logic about listing, etc. though, I am in a stupid bidding war over a Jim Bottomley PSA cut sig right now. The BIN is $425, but I am piddling around because I don't want to commit just yet. However, I might decide tomorrow morning that I have to have it. Bottomley sigs book at close to a grand. I want a 3x5 unslabbed, but hey, the price is good...a little buyer's logic for ya.
This post is getting stale, isn't it? Although the last comment about the Randy Johnson Steiner COA card was crazy. I guarantee someone we talk about here will pick it up. Peace fellas, nighty night.
Hopefully the next post will be for Ebay Item Number 320080133061. It is for a fake autographed Peyton Mannng football from seller Savant01. This autograph failed "Quick Opinion." If you read the auction it reads "Just back from Miami." Do you realize the number of sellers inserting that into their auctions because of the Super Bowl. I emailed Ebay a harsh letter in refernce to their allowing the 600+ fake Peyton Manning autographs that they are doing noting about.....Chris W.
By the way, there is a so-called new seller of fake autograph items and their Ebay ID is "Cavemancandoit99." They really aren't a "new seller" but their autograph items are certainly fake. They have four (4) fake Albert Pujols autograph items up for bid that the seller claims they received from "private signings, shows, mail or other dealers." Their auctions are "Private" and they do not accept "Paypal." Smells like...I'm pretty sure I know what their previous Ebay ID was.....I'm working on it......Chris W.
i was thinkin gabout getting that randy johnson coa just so a dishonest person can't have it.
check this out 320079010861... it is a CUBS signed 1993 World Series baseball. it even has "1993 world series" written on it. i find that odd because the 1993 world series is when my phillies made me cry after losing to the blue jays after that infamous joe carter home run. maybe the cubs were in the playoffs?, i don't know, but why would somoene write 1993 world series if they didn't make it that far. unless they had high hopes. maybe it was minor league, little league, or tee ball.
does anyone have any input on this?
chris, in regards to Cavemancandoit99.. i like how all his signed baseballs are on Nike Ofiicial League balls. you would think if someone was getting all the big name star athletes to sign baseballs, he would at least get the rawlings official major league ball. or even the rawlings olb3. why choose nike? probably got a very cheap price on a couple dozen of them.
J-Man, shouldn't you be studying or something?:)That Cubs ball is hilarious. If you want to see the lineup of the Cubs in the '93 season - here it is:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/1993.shtml
Looks to me like the ball says "CU", maybe a college? Anyway, any Cubs fan that pays $125 for that deserves not to see their team play in the Series. Even Cubsw fans aren't that pathetic...(just kidding).
Hey guys...don't mean to change topics or anything, but this may be of interest to you...
Remember Air Jordan 20 years ago… He’s Vintage Already!
Word on the street is that Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co. and Nike have teamed up to recreate the jersey MJ wore in the 1987 Slam Dunk competition, commemorating the 20th anniversary of his first slam dunk title when he took off from the foul line and bested Dominique Wilkins.
The authentic vintage jersey is a ’87 Chicago Bulls road red with MJ’s #23 in black font. Apparently the jersey will be manufactured to the exact specification of the original and will include special labeling to reflect the order in which it was produced….only be 500 of these bad boys will be made.
According to CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell’s blog… “they come encased in a white handmade wooden collector's box with faux lizard skin interior. The jersey will be unveiled next week in Las Vegas -- the site of the NBA All-Star Game -- and will be sold in 23 selected outlets, including the NBA Store in New York City and various Niketown outlets.”
Wow, this is also the first time a non-Nike product will be feature in Niketown outlets.
It is so ridiculous with all these Peyton Manning autographs. How can so many be up. There is no way that many people waited to post "authentic" autographs until after Peyton won a Super Bowl. I can't believe the prices for his autograph now. They are going up exponentially!
Geee..let me close out my pension and buy an overpriced Jordan product. What is the SRP? And how many have already been claimed?
Someone probably read that comment and began producing a knockoff model in Taiwan this morning.
I'll give it to MJ, he knows how to produce duckets.
i will wait to buy the knock verison of jordan from the fried rice and eggroll guys
you should of reported that randy johnson coa to ebay.ebay does premit the sale of coa's on there site
esp finally got busted by ebay for selling fakes and bootleged photos.one less shady person on the site
ESP got busted?
Elite Sports Productions?
Can you offer more info on ESP. I have purhcased from them in the past... some items are legit, others I question... just wondering what the deal is with ESP. Thanks in advance. -J.K.
bigtruck, it's so hard to study when i'm home.. ebay and this blog keep me distacted.
was the ESP mentioned Exclusive Sports and Promotions? i have a terrell owens signed 8x10 with their COA. i bought it from Legends Of The Field.
Exclusive Sports and Promotions is correct... They are shady... -JK
I purchased a Jeter/Bernie Williams dual signed 16x20. It had an MLB authenticated hologram on... but when you looked it up, it was only for the Jeter signature. The Bernie signature didnt look right... I think they added it to increase the price. -JK
i think if i were to add another signature to increase the price, i would pick arod atleast. don't get me wrong, i think bernie is a great player, but i'm not sure he has as big of a collector following as jeter and arod. unless that was the trick.
Very true, but the photo was of Bernie and Jeter. The photo was of the 2 of them celebrating at home plate. -JK
Guys, I just tried to call Exclusive Sports and Promotions...all lines are either busy or the mailbox is too full to take messages. I have a ESP Edmonds photo on my wall that looks totally legit. I bought it from Prosportsmemorabilia.com when I contacted them they had no idea, but seemed concerned.
I just recently heard on this blog that they are shady, but to have their items removed...geez. What were they doing over there? How did you get alerted to this?
From my experience with ESP, 95 percent of their stuff looks good, most items even have the MLB hologram. But there are some items, just like the Jeter/Bernie photo I talked about, that are real fishy. The main thing that doesnt make sense is why wound you sell 95 percent legit stuff, and try to sneak some fake crap in... and take a chance of destorying your business. I guess its greed. -JK
Did you guys notice that Ebay removed all of the autograph auctions by seller "Savant01." I finally convinced Ebay that he's been selling fakes all these years. I guess the fact that he had up all of those Colts autograph items after the Super Bowl finally convinced them.....Chris W.
i'm not trying to be rude when i say this, but keep an eye on fansindastands.. he's bound to have a few anna nicole smith signed baseballs up any day now
wow this blog is like memorabilia breaking news hotline
i heard the same thing ESP(espauctions) was kicked off ebay.about fu%&ing time.i heard they had serval auctions removed for bad sig's,website links and shill bidding
but hey what do i know
jeter_sucks"
with ebay getting rid of sellers lately, it almost seems like they are starting to care. i wonder how long this will last. with listing fees and final value fees, they'll be out a couple thousand bucks in their profits now. and then at the point when they notice that, they'll let fansindastands back on.
Good point, J-Man, but Ebay is still ignoring at least 80% of my reports and Quick Opinion documentation. I still feel they are just appeasing us at this point. For the most part, when they finally remove a bad seller, they will have waited until that bad seller has sold a few hundred, or sometimes thousands of fake autograph items until they get rid of them. Today was a great example with seller "Savant01." It's taken them two years (since my initial complaint about him) to finally remove his auctions, but he is still "active" on Ebay. Last night he was selling quite a few Colts autograph items which weren't close to being authentic. It also proves that being a "Power Seller" on Ebay means absolutely nothing. Hundreds of so-called "Power Sellers" on Ebay sold nothing but forged autograph items......Chris W.
Hey fellas -
Interesting how eBay attacked ESP...a very high end seller in my book. At least they had a few items I was watching in the thousand and two thousand dollar range. I am very suprised that they took someone like that down who had a huge amount of legit inventory.
If they were shill bidding, that is one thing - but to destroy your company's cred. (and the credibility of the guys you vend to) is just plain ugly.
I am looking at an 8X10 right now that has an ESP hologram on it. The back of the frame has a photo COA, and it is legit - even without the MLB auth.
Jeter_Sucks - hey bud, if you have any info on ESP, I would sure like to know about it. Funny, you were just saying a week ago that they were shady - and look what happened...good call.
Let me clarify my previous comment...
SHILL BIDDING IS BAD.
here i am again, playing on ebay when i should be reading. i was looking for a tony parker autograph. the only basketball player i have really seen discussed in here is m. jordan, so i don't know if anyone would know about this. i think most of our dscussion leans towards baseball, with a bit of football thrown in. now that i think of it, i have never seen hockey mentioned i nhere. but i found this tony parker signed game used ball. the auction states it is the ball they no longer use as of jan 1st 2007. i'm pretty sure that would be the ball that they brought in and then lebron james complained about it and they stopped using it. the ball pictured does not look like the ball i remember seeing. the ball also has "san antonio spurs" laser engraved on it. i have never heard of a team having their name engraved on the balls. i'm not that into basketball that i would know that, but i would think if they use a team designated ball, there would be more of a risk of the team cheating. also, look at the COA. it pretty much looks like the cheapest certificate i have ever seen. i would think the NBA would have a fancy looking certificate. here's the item # by the way- 220077834547. it appears the cert. has a hologram sticker on it. the hologram looks like it may be one of the holograms that is on the bottom of the brim on a hat. there doesn't appear to be a hologram on the ball, which i think would be there to match the hologram on the cert. well, somebody is paying over $500 for it. do we have any basketball fans here that might know?
big truck i really dont have anything to add about esp right but im sure i will hear more through the grape vine
i can tell you this dont waste your time calling them as you wont be able to get ahold of esp because all of them are going to be at the pro bowl staying at the players hotel trying to lure other companys exclusive athletes into doing a private cash and carry signing
i said before there shady
have you ever seen esp owner kenny pearson before??hes a big fat white kid that thinks hes black with the big gold chain and stuff.not what you would picture of a legit memorabilia company
jeter_sucks"
Jeter -
So glad that you came to this blog. Nice to have an actual dealer in here. I have seen Kenny before - you are right, he's got an identity crisis happening.
As far as Basketball, J-Man - I stopped watching a few years ago. However...I know that I would never buy anything from anyone other than UDA, Steiner, Tri-Star or MM. From what I have seen, the BB market is the worst for autographs. Not sure if it is the clientele - but they don't seem to scrutinize the way Baseball collectors do. Football is almost the same way. You are right though, we need to diversify here.
I love how people think an autograph authentication company is always right. AN AUTHENTICATION S NOT GOD ALMIGHTY AND IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT!! GET THS THROUGH YOUR HEADS YOU DAMN FOOLS!!
So what would you suggest a new collector do if they want to purchase an autographed item?
i would suggest a new collector to do their homework. find out which companies are reputable and who has what you want. also keep in mind that the derek jeter signed baseball that you find on ebay for buy it now $50 is fake. nobody in their right mind would sell you a legit jeter ball for that cheap.
what are you looking for? maybe somoene within this board can steer you in the right path
I have seen Pujols sign in gold however it was on a black ball, if you want to compare it's on my website at www.omniauctions.com, however this signature looks a little rough. I'm not an authenicator however I have seen a lot of Pujols items and all mine are JSA approved. I would highly rec. using JSA or PSA to get COA they have both been in the business for ahile Jimmy Spence has done a great job with all my items.
a Tom I was wondering about that Pujols Family Auto photo #ed to 700.I wanted to know is there 700 photo's all signed, or just 700 photo's and you got one of them signed?
Tom - I will back you up on the authenticity of your items. I am bidding on the Pujols /700 photo right now.
Post a Comment
<< Home